Vendee Globe - Homecoming

A radiant smile, from Alex Thomson, cuts through the sleet; brightens a grey winter day, in Gosport. Alex has plenty to smile about: Third in this year's Vendee Globe, First of the "old generation" boats, First British monohull round the world in 80 days (and that includes the time that he spent standing by keel-free JP Dick off the Azores) and a Vendee succesfully completed in his third campaign. Not to mention setting a record time for an Atlantic crossing during his Vendee Globe warm up!

Out in Portsmouth Harbour, a flotilla of boats brave near freezing temperatures, to greet Alex.

An impromtu parade of sail forms up, in front of the Spinnaker Tower....

 

 

...and crowds gather on the Gosport shore.

 

The victory flotilla circles the harbour.

 

Alex sweeps, close in, past the Haslar Pier head.

 

He waves to the crowd and calls "Thanks for coming out today!" Alex is thanking us..... What an insight that gives into the pysche of this elite sportsman; into the soul of this humble record breaker.

Alex and the crew round up, to drop the famous black mainsail of the IMOCA 60 (International Monohull Open Classes Association 60). They bring her sweetly alongside the dock. A fanfare of air horns and cheers goes up. The boat, back from a global circumnavigation and a winter Biscay crossing, looks as fresh as the day that she was launched.

 

Alex too seems, if anything, emegised by his 80 days of racing around the globe, and the whirlwind of public appearances that has followed. Right now, Alex is sharing his moment of success with his home crowd. He's pausing for breath, before he throws himself into his next challenge - whatever that might be.

To find out what comes next for Alex follow him on: http://www.alexthomsonracing.com/
For Vendee Globe Race news: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/